


Food For Thought

by len1985



Category: Berena - Fandom, Holby City
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-23 08:28:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9648065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/len1985/pseuds/len1985
Summary: I like Berena. I like food. This happened. I'm not a chef so I'm making it up. I speak very limited Italian so please forgive my mistakes.





	1. L'inizio

As Bernie entered the room all eyes appeared to look over to her. She was always running late so why should this be any different? Even as a grown woman of 51, ex army medic, having served in various treacherous warzones, with an ex husband and two grown children and who was actually paying to be here, thank you very much, she still felt like she'd be caught smoking in the school bathrooms and was being called up to the headmaster's office. She could feel her face burn with humiliation as she mumbled a quick apology to the tutor at the front.

"You're just in time, we haven't really started yet. Here, take one of these and find a seat." The teacher smiled warmly at her and handed her a folder.

Bernie offered a tight smile in response and took the only empty seat left next to a short haired brunette about her age. Idly flicking through the pages of her folder, she could see it was filled with the ingredients lists for each class and she huffed another sigh wondering why she did these things to herself. A cooking class?! Ok, she was hardly on par with any of those Michelin star boys and girls but her cooking was fine. She was strictly a meat and two veg kind of cook mostly, but she'd never had any complaints. It had always been edible and no one had ever gotten sick or died...

"I hear there's a long weekend to Italy at the end of the course." The woman beside her chirped up. "I'm Serena Campbell by the way." She held out a beautifully manicured hand in greeting.

Bernie looked up from her file to return the handshake and almost fell off her seat when she saw the woman properly. Holy shit, she was gorgeous!

"Bernie Wolfe." She firmly shook the brunette's hand and prayed to find her voice and be witty and charming and irresistible. "You're cooking crap then?" Nice one, Bernie. Very suave.

"Well, no actually." The woman looked slightly offended and Bernie cringed. "My nephew has an IT class across the hall at the same time, so it was this or sitting at home bored. So I thought why not, could be fun." Serena turns away from her almost imperceptibly but Bernie notices.

"My ex-girlfriend made me sign up. Said I should broaden my horizons, that I was too set in my ways. Never wanted to try new things, better myself." Bernie was wittering on but the woman made her nervous. No one should be that beautiful.

"She sounds awful." Serena points out.

"Hence my newly single status." Bernie drops her chin on to her hand and shrinks down a little sadly.

"Well by the end of this, you'll show her. Silly cow. Missed out on a trip to Italy as well." Serena winks and Bernie laughs in spite of herself.

"Ok everyone, let's get started. As you all know this is a 12 week course, focusing on Italian cooking. And wines for those of you interested in that sort of thing." The tutor smiles as a chorus of "here, here" and "too bloody right" can be heard. "Now, as this is week 1 and you obviously didn't have your folders yet, we won't be cooking tonight. I will give you a brief tour of the kitchen and show you how everything works etc. We will normally be making dishes which take around 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes to make. From scratch, no shop bought pastas or pastries or sauces, you will make everything yourselves. At the end of each class there will then be time to plate everything up and use the college's dining room to taste your dishes. This is a social affair as well, so why don't we start by introducing ourselves to each other."

It just so happened that most of the rest of the group were couples or friends, so Serena and Bernie were the only two on their own, as it were.

"Hi everyone. I'm Serena, I am a surgeon at a local hospital and I took this class mainly to accommodate my nephew who lives with me. But I love to cook and to drink wine, so I'm looking forward to it." Serena smiles sweetly and Bernie almost stops breathing. She was so focused on Serena that she forgot it was her turn next.

"Oh yes, right. Well, I'm Bernie and I'm a trauma surgeon. I took the class to appease my ex but now I'm quite glad that I did." Bernie stares straight at Serena at this last bit and her heart starts hammering.

"One last thing before we get going." The tutor pipes up. "The person you are sitting with now will be your cooking partner of sorts."

Bernie and Serena smile at one another.

"Looks like it's you and me, cooking buddy." Serena bumps Bernie's shoulder playfully and Bernie offers up silent thanks to the culinary Gods that she decided to take this stupid class.

"Looks like it." She tries not to brim over with glee. The class would be worth every penny just to see this woman's smile every week. And then a long weekend away too, Bernie knew she was jumping the gun but Serena was quite something.

"Right, everyone that's the introductions over with. Now you all know that my name is Dana. I was head chef in a lovely Italian restaurant here in Holby for many years before I bought it over and I lived in Italy for quite some time while I was training. I'm always here to help you all and we are to enjoy ourselves. Cooking is not meant to be stressful or time consuming, it's the eating the food and making friends that matters. If you'll all just grab an apron from the side please, I'll show you the kitchen." The teacher gestures for them to follow her over to their workstations.

"Would you mind?" Serena slips the neck of the apron over her head and indicates the ties for Bernie.

"Oh sure." Bernie quickly fastens her own apron and then steps behind Serena to help her with hers. She quickly realises her mistake when she breathes in an entire lungful of Serena. Dear God she even smells amazing! And now she is almost flush against Bernie's front and Bernie is somewhat surprised to see tiny goosebumps on Serena's neck where Bernie's warm breath hits her skin. Was it possible that she felt it too? Bernie shook her head and internally chastised herself for her own overactive imagination. "All done." Bernie steps back to get away from Serena, wiping her sweaty palms on her apron when no one is watching.

"Thanks." Serena turns and squeezes her hand gratefully. "So you're a surgeon too?" She tries to make small talk.

"Yep. I was medically discharged from the Army a while back and since my ex-husband and my kids are here, I came home to try to make it work. Which might have been easier if I wasn't a lesbian. So I've just accepted a new position at Holby City on their Keller Ward, General Surgery." Bernie and Serena stand probably too close and their hands brush accidentally as they walk and talk.

"Oh wow. I work there too, on AAU vascular surgery is my thing. Ric Griffin is a good friend. So maybe we can be work buddies too." Serena's enthusiasm for everything is infectious and Bernie smiles listening to her.

Dana shows them around all the bits and pieces and gadgets that they'll most likely need and then sits them back down to go through what they'll need for next week's dish: Spaghetti Bolognese. Bernie thinks it sounds ok, she's made her own version before so hopefully it won't be too bad.

"We should exchange numbers, maybe we could hit the supermarket together for the ingredients." Serena suggests and rummages in her bag for her phone.

"Sounds like a plan." Bernie fishes her mobile out of her pocket and gives her number to Serena and programmes the brunette's number into her phone.

"Ok guys. That's us for tonight, hang your aprons back up on the way out and I'll see you all next week." Dana thanks them all for coming on their way out.

Serena greets her nephew in the foyer and then they seem to wait around a bit.

"Do you need a lift somewhere?" Bernie offers as she hokes out her car keys with no idea how she'd fit them all into her Mazda, come to think of it.

"Who's that?" Serena's nephew asks, he seems curious but not unfriendly.

"Ah Jason. This is Bernie, she's in my class and apparently she's a doctor at Holby now too." Serena introduces them.

"Nice to meet you, Dr Bernie. We don't need a lift thank you." Jason informs her. "Robbie is picking us up."

"Robbie?" Bernie asks just as a tall man makes his way over to the pair.

"Serena, come on let's go. I'm starving. Alright Jason?" The man kisses Serena and doesn't even look at the young man.

"He's Auntie Serena's boyfriend." Jason clarifies.

"I see." Bernie tries not to look or sound disappointed.

"Hurry up, Serena. I still don't see why you have to take this silly class. Jason's perfectly capable of getting to and from college himself." He starts to walk them away from Bernie to his car.

"Normally I can take us perfectly fine myself, Robbie. I only needed you to pick us up tonight because my car is in for repair." Serena sounds exasperated.

"I'll see you next week, Serena. It was nice to meet you, Jason." Bernie smiles a sad sort of smile and heads for her car.

"Bye Dr Bernie!" Jason shouts cheerily after her.

She sits behind the wheel of the car and fumes with herself for being so stupid. Of course Serena was with someone, how could she not be? Even if he was an asshole. She sits berating herself for a few more minutes and then drives off without a backwards glance. Best to forget all about that one, Wolfe.


	2. Spaghetti Bolognese

Bernie tried extremely hard not to see or think of Serena after that, but seeing as they worked in the same hospital, lived in the same place and were partnered in the cooking classes, she was unlikely to succeed.

"Are you free tonight?" Bernie nearly dies on the spot when Serena sneaks up behind her in the Pulses queue and whispers into her ear. "We need to get supplies for class." She adds after she's sure that Bernie hasn't suffered a heart attack. She'd never seen anyone jump like that before.

"Oh...well I...um...actually..." Bernie tries to formulate a suitable reason for turning her down, until she turns to see that smile. "What time?" Bernie fails miserably.

"I'm going into theatre now but I should be done by 6pm." Serena says hopefully.

"Ok I'll meet you back here then." Bernie smiles and then tugs on her pager as it beeps. "Gotta run, see you later." Bernie sprints back to Keller.

Serena watches her go and it strikes her that she likes Bernie very much. She really hoped that she might have found a friend, she didn't have many of those.

Later that evening they roll their trolley around the supermarket in search of what they need.

"The spaghetti should be easy. It says here all we need is flour, eggs and salt." Serena reads from the list. They find those and place them in the trolley.

For the Bolognese part they picked up some pancetta, minced beef, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, beef stock, fresh basil and garlic, olive oil and some parmesan cheese to grate over everything. The list also said that peppers, celery and carrots were optional, along with anything else they might like to add but they stuck to the basics.

"Ah hah!" Serena lifted two nice bottles of red wine and placed them in with the other ingredients. "You know, we're not going to need the whole lot for our sauces. How about we head back to mine and drink some now?" She glances over to where Bernie is pushing the trolley.

"I'm on early tomorrow." Bernie pushes the trolley faster towards the checkout.

"So am I." Serena has to break into a half run to keep up with her.

"Well yes but I've only just started there and I want to make a good impression." Bernie rolls her eyes at herself.

"If you don't want to spend time with me, you could just say so." Serena slams the items from their trolley on to the conveyor belt.

Bernie sees the hurt of rejection in the other woman's eyes and curses herself for being so useless. "It's not that." God knew it was definitely not that, Bernie wanted nothing more than to spend time with this woman. She just shouldn't want it and she wanted it in a different way from Serena and that wouldn't be fair to either of them. She places a hand on Serena's lower arm, at the very least to save the bottles from her wrath. "I promise, it isn't that."

Serena spins to look into Bernie's big, sad brown eyes and she backs down. "Ok, I'm sorry. You don't have to come round for a drink. I just don't have many friends and I like you, so I thought we might become friends."

Bernie feels her heart tighten, like someone has reached into her chest and is crushing it in their hand. "That would be nice." Bernie can hardly form the words and Serena's answering smile steals her breath. "How about we sample this lovely wine back at yours then?"

If Bernie had thought being in the same place as Serena was torture, being her friend was going to be like dying a thousand deaths. She was devastatingly tactile whilst sober, so the wine was not helping. And besides being drop dead gorgeous, the woman was funny and nice as well. Bernie was in Hell. A lovely, sweet smelling, soft brown eyes and ridiculously gentle hands kind of Hell. She had rarely found herself so easily attracted to anyone and she had to remind herself that Serena had a boyfriend, she was most likely straight and she wanted to be friends. That was it. She didn't and wouldn't think of Bernie the way she was thinking of Serena.

"This was great, Serena. I really should be heading home." Bernie stands to take her glass through to rinse out, grabs her various ingredients for the pasta and then Serena walks her to the door. "I'll see you in class tomorrow."

Serena wraps her in a warm hug and kisses her cheek. "I'm so glad we're friends." Her hot breath on Bernie's face makes the blonde want to kiss her and she has to physically tear herself away to stop from doing just that. "Goodnight Bernie."

"Goodnight Serena." Bernie smiles at her and then runs for her car. Once inside she takes a few steadying breaths. "You're friends. Just friends. Pull yourself together, Wolfe." She speeds off home.

At class the following evening they have an absolute ball. Both giggling and teasing each other like schoolgirls. Serena lost count of the number of times she had to rub flour or sauce or some other questionable and unidentifiable substance off the blonde's flustered face.

"Ok guys. Now, we will let the pasta dough settle for 30 minutes whilst we make the Bolognese. Clean out your mixing bowls and dry them off. Place your dough in the bowl and cover with the cling film and we'll move over to the hobs to start the meat and sauce." Dana was a lovely, patient teacher and she was full of praise for everything they did. "Very nice, ladies." She smiles at Serena and Bernie's efforts, eyes lingering on Bernie.

"I think she likes you." Serena nudges the blonde and indicates their tutor.

"No, I'm sure she's just being nice. She's good with everyone." Bernie finds it unlikely, even if her sights weren't firmly and exclusively set on her cooking partner, she's sure Dana isn't interested in her.

"Right, everyone. We need to slice and dice everything for the sauce first. Obviously we wash our hands and use a different knife after chopping the pancetta. There is no real trick to not crying when you slice onions I'm afraid." Dana quickly shows them an easy way to chop all their ingredients and a quick as you like way to crush the garlic. "No, Bernie hang on. You're not in surgery now. Here let me help you." She stands over the blonde and helps her to grip the knife a little more delicately and shows her how to chop things by placing her hand on top of Bernie's. "There you go, much better." Bernie smiles and tries to ignore Serena looking at her with an "I told you" type expression.

"Now, fire some of your olive oil into your saucepans and we want a medium heat, not too much or you'll burn everything. Start with your pancetta once the oil has heated up. Not yet, Bernie. Your oil won't be warm yet." Dana smiles fondly at the blonde's eagerness.

"Sorry." Bernie flushes slightly.

"Then once that's browned nicely, we add the onions, mushrooms and garlic. That's it, these look great guys. Now, you add the mince and stock once these have all soften nicely. Splash of red wine. Just a splash, Serena. You know the alcoholic content cooks off, right?" Bernie sticks her tongue out at her friend, who is adding a generous amount of wine. "Once your meat is brown, you can add your tomatoes and any optional veg you might have chosen. Stir it all and then leave it all to simmer on a low heat. It will reduce to a wonderful Bolognese in about 45 minutes to an hour." Dana draws their attention back to the pasta.

"Now we need to roll the dough flat and smooth and then we can either slice it or pass it through the pasta cutters." Dana showed them what she meant. "Once we have enough we can then take it to the hob and in some boiling, salted and oiled water, cook it for 10-15 minutes for al dente or longer if you prefer softer spaghetti."

Once everything looked like it was ready and pretty damn good really, they plated it all up. A sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan and chopped basil on top for flavour and garnish and it looked scrumptious. They all seemed more than pleased with their attempts as they tucked in and chatted amiably in the college dining hall.

"You all did brilliantly this evening and I guess by the happy faces and empty plates that it tasted great too!" Dana raised her glass in salute to her students and they all drank to their success. "Next week we will be making our own pizzas. The basics are on your ingredients sheets but you can choose whichever and however many toppings you'd like."

"I love a good Hawaiian." Bernie whispers into Serena's ear and the brunette turns up her nose at the thought of pineapple on pizza.

"Same night next week for some ingredients shopping?" Serena offers.

"You're on." Bernie clinks her glass with the brunette's.


	3. Pizza

Bernie was called into a meeting first thing the following week, with Ric, Serena and Mr Hanssen. It had become apparent that Bernie's particular area of expertise would be more suited to AAU.

"You want me to work on Ms Campbell's ward?" Bernie couldn't feel the ground beneath her feet anymore.

"Actually we want you both to run it." Mr Hanssen was not asking for her opinion, they were going to co-lead the ward.

Bernie knew the universe was conspiring against her: she now had to work with Serena everyday, add to that the evenings spent in Albies and their weekly jaunts to the supermarket and class. She'd never get Serena out of her thoughts this way...

But there was an unexpected upside, because they really were becoming proper friends. Best friends, even. Bernie had never really had one of those. She couldn't jeopardise that for her silly crush so maybe this would actually help.

As they sauntered around the aisles of the supermarket, they picked up the flour, yeast and salt to make the pizza dough and had some olive oil left from last week, so they didn't need more of that. For the sauce they got passata, garlic and some more fresh basil. At the deli counter they got the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and some Italian hams, pepperoni and cherry tomatoes. Bernie insisted on a pineapple to make her Hawaiian and Serena picked up some mushrooms for her own pizza.

It was just assumed really that they would grab a bottle of wine and head back to Serena's once they had everything they needed. They wouldn't drink much because Bernie always still had to drive home and they saved the rest to have with the finished article in class the next night. They talked about their exes and their children, Serena explained how challenging but wonderful having Jason was. He was a porter at the hospital and he was amazing. She invited Bernie to their fish and chips nights, which she instantly agreed to.

"I'm thinking I need to break up with Robbie." Serena said out of the blue, staring intently into her wine glass.

"Really? Why?" Bernie was trying to sound nonchalant.

"He doesn't like Jason. I think he's jealous because all of my attention isn't solely focused on him now. Jason comes first. Always." Serena knew it was for the best. "Besides, he doesn't treat me well and I deserve better." She nodded her head emphatically. Decision made.

Bernie took their things and started washing up in the kitchen while Serena went to answered a sudden knock on the door.

"Robbie? What on Earth are you doing here?" Serena lets him follow her back to the lounge.

"Move in with me." Robbie blurts out.

Bernie was trying not to listen in from the kitchen but could she help it if the acoustics were perfect?

"What?" Serena almost keels over with shock.

"I love you, Serena. I want us to buy our own place. Just the two of us." Robbie persists.

"Three." Serena corrects him.

Robbie looks confused so Serena spells it out. "You, me and Jason. Three." She counts them off on her fingers for emphasis. Now she'd see what he was made of.

"Come on, Serena. He's a grown man, surely he can live by himself or in one of those care places, they have people to look after him." Wrong answer, Robert dear.

"You didn't see the last place. I'm not putting him back in to somewhere like that. I like having him live with me. I love him. He is my family and I will not sell the only home he's ever known since his Mum died and abandon him in some care home." Serena stood firm.

"Well then we have a problem." Robbie knew she'd choose him if it really came to it.

"No problem. We're done." Serena gestured for him to leave.

"You're not dumping me for that moron?" Robbie fumed with humiliation.

"How dare you! Get out! I never want to see you again, you selfish pig!" Serena backed him down the hallway and pushed him out the door with an indignant huff. Slumping against the closed door, she hung her head. She'd done the right thing though.

"Serena, are you alright?" Bernie dried her hands on the tea towel she was holding.

"I'm fine. Sorry you had to hear all that." Serena sags onto the sofa and fights not to cry.

"Hey, it's alright. Come here." Bernie throws her arms around her friend.

"It's for the best really. For Jason, I'm not putting him back in to one of those places. I can't do it. I'm not sad about Robbie really, turns out he's a dickhead and the sex wasn't even that great." They both giggle at that, as Bernie wipes the tears from Serena's face. "I'm 51 Bernie. Who's going to want to take on me and my autistic nephew? I'll just have to start buying cats. I don't even like cats." Serena tries to make a joke of it but she feels more tears follow the ones Bernie had just dried.

"Anyone would be lucky to have you. You're kind and generous. You're the bravest person I know. You're smart and funny. You're beautiful." Bernie frames the brunette's face with her own hands and Serena is struck by the sincerity in her friend's eyes. She can't help but notice that the blonde's eyes leave hers and travel to her lips. If she didn't know better, she'd swear Bernie was thinking about kissing her.

Bernie struggles with herself as she flicks between Serena's eyes and her mouth. She could just give in and kiss her. It sounded so simple and yet as she leant in to do just that, she found herself pulling Serena's head down slightly and pressing her mouth to the brunette's forehead instead.

Serena closes her eyes waiting for the kiss and she inhales sharply when she feels the warmth of Bernie's lips on her forehead. She was disappointed she realised, she wanted Bernie to kiss her. Properly.

"I'll head on now. See you tomorrow." Bernie smiles and stands up to leave as Serena nods dumbfounded.

Both women sleep very little that night, thinking of the kiss that could have been.

They see hardly any of each other until class the next night. Things seem to be normal between them again as Dana teaches them all how to roll the dough, feeling a bit self conscious as she has them toss it all over the place. Bernie and Serena laugh watching the other try to do it as they were shown. If a jolt of something indescribable courses through them when their hands accidentally brush, they ignore it as best they can. They really were such good friends. Why complicate things?

When they've all finished eating their pizzas and drinking their wine, Bernie and Serena are the last to leave and decide to help Dana tidy up. Serena had gone back upstairs because she remembers she left her bag behind.

"How long have you been together?" Dana asks Bernie, tilting her head to the door Serena had just exited through.

"Oh no, we're just friends." Bernie blushes at the question.

"Ok, let me ask it another way. How long have you been in love with your friend?" Dana holds Bernie's gaze.

"I...um...it's not like that...she's not...we're not..." Bernie trips over her words as she sees the know it all smile on Dana's face. "Since about 10 seconds after we met. Please don't tell her. She doesn't think of me like that. She'd never forgive me." Bernie looks panicked and she feels the fear of losing Serena, even if only as a friend, crush her.

"I won't say a word." Dana kindly rubs Bernie's upper arm, squeezing it gently. Bernie offers her a wide smile of gratitude and relief.

Serena catches the tail-end of the interaction and can't help noticing a strange feeling stab her in the gut when she sees Dana touching Bernie. Her Bernie. If she cared to put a label on it, she might say that she was jealous.


	4. Bruschetta & Tiramisu

The next week in class they were going to make a starter and a dessert, Bernie was a little anxious that she would have to juggle both dishes. Normally she didn't really bother with other courses unless she was ordering them in a restaurant.

The trip at the end of the course was finalised as well – Thursday to Monday in a lovely little hotel in Southern Italy. As it would be May time when the course ended, the weather would be warm but not unbearable. There were excursions arranged, including making wine at a local vineyard which Serena was so looking forward to. Bernie and she would be sharing a twin room with a balcony overlooking the bay and it sounded magical. They had given enough notice so that cover for the ward wouldn't be a problem and they were very much looking forward to the break.

"Fish and chips night tomorrow, don't forget." Serena reminded the blonde as they trailed through tons of paperwork.

"Oh shoot. I can't tomorrow night. I have other plans. Still ok for the supermarket on Wednesday though yeah?" Bernie tried to avoid having to say what her plans were.

"Hot date?" Serena quips trying to sound unfazed.

"Something like that." Bernie smiles and goes back to the patient chart in front of her.

"Who's the lucky gal?" Serena turns to the filing cabinet behind her trying to hide her foolish jealousy. "Dana?"

"No not Dana. She's very happily married apparently." Bernie senses something in the droop of her friend's shoulders and a hitch in her voice. "Is everything ok, Serena?"

"Yep. Tickety-boo." Serena lies through her teeth. Her decidedly gritted teeth.

"It's Alex, my ex. She wants to talk." Bernie watches Serena's spine stiffen.

"Oh." Serena won't look at her friend. "Well I hope that works out for you."

Bernie watches confused as Serena rushes out of their office. What just happened?

They trudge around the supermarket on the Wednesday night looking for all the ingredients. For the bruschetta they picked up beef steak cuts from the meat counter, some ciabatta from the bakery, some more olive oil and extra virgin olive oil, garlic, basil, cherry tomatoes, ricotta, parmesan, sundried tomatoes, some rocket and other herbs and spices and a lemon.

The tiramisu needed mascarpone, caster sugar, marsala wine, eggs, Amaretto, expresso coffee, cocoa powder and savoiardi biscuits – lady fingers to those mere mortals amongst us Bernie thought.

Serena was uncharacteristically quiet this evening and Bernie started to worry about friend. Maybe the breakup with Robbie was upsetting her. Even though he was a jerk, it was always hard when relationships ended.

When they'd settled on Serena's sofa for the now customary pre-class drink, Bernie decided to ask Serena if she was ok.

"I'm fine." Serena looked at her friend and saw that she wasn't buying it. "I am. Really." How could she tell Bernie anyway? That she was jealous, it was ridiculous! They were friends and Serena was just being silly. "How did it go with Alex?" Serena needed to get this over with, rip the dressing off the wound, as it were.

"We're trying again." Bernie saw pain cross her friend's features, she figured it was just because she'd recently become single. Bernie could never have guessed the real reason. "We've decided to just take things slowly. She seems pleased that I took the class after all. She's talking about coming on the trip with me."

Serena had to stand up and get away from Bernie. "I'm tired. I think you should go, I'll see you tomorrow night in class." Serena grabbed hold of her hall table to steady herself and push back the tears.

"Oh yes, of course. You're off tomorrow. Anything nice planned?" Bernie tries not to feel Serena's rejection too deeply.

Serena shakes her head, willing her friend to just go and leave her alone.

"Would you maybe meet Alex and I for drinks before class? I'd like you to meet her." Bernie pulls her hand back suddenly when Serena flinches as she places a hand on her shoulder.

"I can't." Serena snaps before she catches herself. "I have to make sure Jason eats before class. Maybe some other time." Serena prays there will never be another time.

"Alright. I guess I'll see you in class then." Bernie doesn't know what else to say or do and so she leaves.

"Alright everyone, we'll start with the tiramisu and leave it to chill in the fridges while we make the bruschetta." Dana smiled warmly at all the students. "First off take 2 egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of your caster sugar and mix well in your bowl. Once it looks like this..." Dana held up her own bowl to demonstrate "...add 2 tablespoons each of your marsala and Amaretto. Then we're going to make up 300ml of strong expresso, 2 tablespoons of coffee should do it." Dana made up her own and then waited for everyone else to catch up. "Then take half of your biscuits and dip then into your coffee. Carefully. It is boiling coffee after all. And don't let your biscuits go soggy. Take them straight out and layer the bottom of your dishes. Pour a little more Amaretto over the biscuits for good measure. Then take your mascarpone cream and place a generous layer of about half the mixture on top of your biscuit layer. Repeat the biscuit and mascarpone layer again with the rest of what's left and then sprinkle some cocoa powder on top to make it look and taste great." Dana finished hers with a flourish and a smile. "Ok guys these look great, cover over the dishes and mark your name on the cling film. We'll put these in the fridges and start the bruschetta."

They started by browning their steaks in olive oil in frying pans over their griddles. Setting it on side plates and covering with foil, they then sliced the ciabatta, brushed it with some oil and placed it on the griddle to toast. "I know we said we would make everything from scratch, but time is not on our side to make bread unfortunately. I do have a personal recipe for the ciabatta if anyone wants to try making it in their own time." Dana then asked them to slice the cherry tomatoes and grate half a clove of garlic over them in a mixing bowl. Extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper were added with whole basil leaves and the bowl set aside. They took another bowl and put in the ricotta, mixed herbs and some lemon zest and mix together.

They rubbed their toasted ciabatta slices with the remainder of the garlic clove and plated up with the sundried tomatoes and shavings of the parmesan. They used the rest of their rocket as a side salad, squeezing over some lemon juice and salt and pepper to season. Slicing their steak to their liking they placed in it on the bread with the tomato and cheese mixtures from the other bowls.

"They all look fantastic!" Dana clapped her hands together with glee. "Might I suggest we eat these while they're warm and give the tiramisu some more chill time."

Serena and Bernie were very pleased with their efforts and had to admit it tasted pretty good too. The tension seemed to have eased between them and they were laughing and joking together in no time. They shared from one tiramisu dish because Bernie got Serena to admit it was her favourite dessert. This way she could take the rest home for her and Jason.

Bernie couldn't remember who suggested that they go back to Serena's after class but she was happy to oblige. Serena couldn't resist having some more tiramisu so she fetched two spoons from the drawer and they sat sharing it from the dish at her kitchen table.

If asked now, Serena would not be able to say what possessed her as she scooped up a spoonful of mascarpone cream and flicked it at Bernie, her laughter filling the room.

"Oh I see how it is." Bernie wipes as much as she can off her face and not even bothering with the spoon, she lifts a handful of cream and grabs Serena by the back of her neck and pushes the cream all over the brunette's face.

Serena squeals in delight as the cool mixture streaks her face. "Now come on, there's no need to waste it. It's still perfectly good tiramisu." Serena swipes some of the cream from her face and sucks it into her mouth chuckling.

Bernie looks on speechless as she sees Serena lick the cream off her fingers. "Serena, I... We should probably clean up." She turns serious all of a sudden. The need to kiss Serena right there was unlike any urge she'd ever experienced.

"Oh lighten up." Serena doesn't seem to notice the change in her friend as she scoops some of the cream from her own face and flings it at Bernie.

The blonde's eyes widen in shock as she reaches for some more cream. "Right, that's it." She chases after her friend, handful of cream raised in threat.

"No, Bernie. No." Serena giggles as she races into the lounge away from her friend. They weave in and out of the furniture as Serena tries to avoid another pasting.

Bernie lunges and they somehow end up flat on Serena's sofa, Bernie on top of the brunette as they try to stifle their giggles. "Do you surrender?" Bernie holds the cream over Serena ready to pounce.

"Yes, yes. I give up." Serena squirms as Bernie starts to tickle her with her free hand. "Bernie please." Serena struggles to breathe between laughs. Bernie relents and Serena reaches up to stroke Bernie's face with her fingertips. She tugs some of the cream from Bernie's curls and pushes her fringe out of Bernie's gorgeous brown eyes. She gasped as she now saw what was clearly desire in her friend's eyes.

"Serena." Bernie closes her eyes and wills herself not to give in to this. Even saying the other woman's name floods Bernie's body with longing. She hadn't notice how her body was pressed against Serena's in all the right places. Now she can't think of anything else. Serena's warmth and curves against her front, moving closer and further away with each unsteady breath they took. "I need to go." Bernie hasn't dared open her eyes again. She tries to push up off the sofa but Serena wraps her arms around Bernie's waist to hold her. "Serena, please."

"Open your eyes." Serena coaxes.

Bernie keeps trying to pull away as she shakes her head and squeezes her eyes more tightly shut.

"Bernie, look at me. Please." Serena caresses Bernie's cheek trying to persuade her.

Bernie slowly opens her eyes and is startled to see what she is sure is the same dark, longing in Serena's eyes as must be in her own. But how could that be?

Serena gently places her hand to the nape of Bernie's neck and starts to pull their faces closer together, barely a breath between their lips now.

Bernie's phone buzzing makes them jump apart. She quickly scurries into the kitchen to clean up and fishes it from her jeans pockets.

Serena follows her into the kitchen and looks at her with a furrowed brow as she sees Bernie's expression. "Is everything ok?" She asks with genuine concern.

"It's Alex. I have to go." Bernie rushes past Serena without looking at her, the slam of the front door startles Serena out of her thoughts.


	5. L'amore

"Dr Bernie?" Jason peeks his head around the door to the office, which is slightly ajar.

"Hi Jason. Come on in." She gestures to the young man to take a seat. "Your Auntie is in theatre I'm afraid, but she shouldn't be much longer, if you want to sit with me and wait for her." Bernie smiles warmly at the boy, she really liked him very much.

"Actually, I wanted to see you Dr Bernie." Jason looks at her with an earnest expression.

"Ok, what can I do for you?" Bernie stops what she was doing to give him her undivided, but not too intense, attention. She had learned quite quickly that he preferred it that way.

"Do you know why Auntie Serena is so sad?" Jason asks forthrightly. "Is it because she misses Robbie? Did I do something wrong, is that why he's gone? I know he didn't like me very much."

"Well, I can tell you that you did nothing wrong. Relationships are a bit tricky, but whatever happened was not your fault." Bernie tries to reassure him.

"He keeps sending Auntie Serena flowers but she throws them all away." Jason nods to the fresh bunch that had been delivered to the ward today, now tossed in the bin. "Do you think she misses Robbie? Would it help if they got back together, would Auntie Serena be happy again? Maybe I should move out and then he would come back."

"Jason?" Serena enters then, having caught some of what her nephew said. She kneels gently down in front of Jason's chair. "You're not going anywhere. My home is your home now too. I won't have you moving out for anyone, least of all Robbie." Serena tries to comfort him as best as she can.

"But if it would make you happy again..." Jason tries to reason.

"It wouldn't. I promise you that I am more than happy to have you at home with me. I don't want Robbie back, especially not if it meant losing you. Ok?" Serena searches the young man's face to be sure he hears and believes her.

Jason nods and pulls his Aunt in for a rare but precious hug, which she easily reciprocates. "Now, I have to go get changed and we'll pick up the fish and chips on the way home." Serena strokes his cheek and kisses his hair before heading to the locker room.

It was at times like this that Bernie sees the flaws in her plan to be Serena's friend. Of course it meant that she could try to see past her initial physical attraction to her. Try to be noble in preserving their friendship by not forcing unwanted advances on her best friend. But being Serena's friend meant that she found countless more reasons to fall ever deeper in love with her everyday. She was so good and kind and selfless, so much more than just a beautiful woman, she was warm and loving to everyone around her. Who could really blame Bernie for falling for her? Of course the tiramisu incident had also shown her another unexpected flaw in her plan: that Serena might feel exactly the same way about Bernie. It was more than Bernie could have ever hoped for and it terrified the life out of her.

"Serena?" Bernie opens the door to the locker room gently, trying not startle her.

Serena is just slipping her camisole back on, affording the blonde a fleeting but perfect view of some of what was under her clothes. Breathe, Wolfe. Steady on soldier.

"Are you coming for fish and chips?" Serena shrugs back into her shirt and fixes the collar. She hasn't really spoken to Bernie much since tiramisu-gate but she didn't want to stop spending time with her. "I know Jason would like that. I would too." Serena blushes and avoids looking at Bernie. "Thank you for what you said just now. I appreciate that you tried to explain to Jason that the whole Robbie thing isn't his fault. He might listen if it comes from you." Serena takes the few steps to close the gap between them and places a soft kiss to the blonde's cheek. "Thank you."

Bernie staggers as Serena's scent, her touch, everything about her, takes hold. God she was irresistible. Bernie wasn't sure how much longer her resolve would hold out. Not helped by the fact that Serena had clearly smudged lipstick all over Bernie's cheek when she kissed her and was now trying to rub it off with her thumb.

"Come over for dinner, Bernie. Please. I want us to talk. I need to explain what happened the other night." Serena looks deep into her friend's eyes and starts to realise that she may have to stop calling Bernie that. She knows that what she feels for the other woman is no longer just friendship. She hopes she's not wrong in believing that Bernie feels it too.

"I'd love to." Bernie laces the fingers of one hand in one of Serena's. "But there's something else I want to do first." Bernie tangles the fingers of her free hand in the hair at the base of Serena's neck and moves in to kiss her.

"What about Alex?" Serena doesn't want to ruin the moment, but being a bit on the side wasn't for her.

"Oh right. I guess I should talk to her first. Explain that it's not going to work between us because I've met someone else." Bernie steps back with a small smile. "How about we have dinner tomorrow night after we pick up everything for class?"

"It's a date." Serena says with a huge grin.

Bernie wants to burst with joy at Serena's words. "I'll see you tomorrow." She steps back in to wrap Serena in a tender embrace before she rushes off to end things with Alex.

They wander around the supermarket hand in hand the next night buying all the ingredients for their risotto: chicken and chicken stock, some chestnut mushrooms, smoked bacon pieces, onions, arborio rice, a nice dry white wine (Italian of course and entirely Serena's domain), parsley, parmesan cheese and some butter.

"So what do you want to do for dinner?" Bernie smiles at the brunette. She was giddy and blushing at the thought of their first date. She wanted to do this properly though.

"How did Alex take it?" Serena felt badly but it was better than to sneak around behind her back.

"Oh you know? She threw a lot of things. Mostly at my head. I think she'll be fine, I saw her eyeing up one of the nurses on Darwin when she met me for lunch the other day. So I doubt she's heartbroken." Bernie shrugs and puts all their bags in the boot.

"I'm exhausted, would you mind just coming back to mine? I'll cook." Serena hoped Bernie wasn't disappointed.

"Why don't I pick up some Chinese food on the way back, so you don't have to cook?" Bernie could see that Serena was tired.

"Perfect." Serena squeezes Bernie's waist and they separate at their cars to drive back to Serena's.

"I'm home. Bernie's picking up some Chinese takeaway if you're hungry Jason?" Serena calls up the stairs to her nephew.

"No thank you Auntie Serena. I had dinner with the other porters already." Serena smiles at how well he seemed to be making friends and was glad the others were taking him under their wing.

"Well Bernie should be here soon if you want to say hello." Serena walked upstairs to see him and found him ready for bed and watching something on his laptop.

"Can you tell her I said hello? I'd like to finish this and then get some sleep." He spoke to her without taking his eyes off the screen and plugged in his headphones. Serena could take a hint.

She ruffled his hair and wished him goodnight before heading back downstairs just in time for Bernie's knock at the door with their food. "Jason says hello and goodnight. He's engrossed with something on his laptop upstairs." Serena takes the food into the kitchen in search of plates, cutlery etc.

She jumps when Bernie's arms are suddenly around her waist pulling their bodies flush. "Sorry I didn't mean to startle you." Bernie just stays there breathing her in, so happy that she can do this now.

Serena turns in her arms until they are facing one another and something in them both snaps. Bernie can't hold back anymore as she lifts Serena onto the countertop behind her. She dips her head to capture Serena's lips in a searing kiss. Tasting her mouth is even more incredible than she could have imagined. Bernie moans into the kiss and her hands sneak under the fabric of Serena's camisole and find warm, smooth skin.

Serena's head spins at the feeling of Bernie's touch on her skin. She had wanted this for longer than she'd realised she thinks, as the relief of it finally happening makes her melt in the blonde's arms. No one had ever made her body react like this. She was consumed by the most glorious fire and she never wanted it to end. "Bernie, oh Bernie. I want you. I have wanted you for so long." Serena finds herself whispering against the blonde's lips. "Please make love to me."

Bernie would say that she was a master of self control and had perfected her ability to deny herself what she wanted for the sake of doing the right thing in the weeks since she'd known Serena. But when faced with such a request from the woman she had been in love with since arguably the first moment they met, there really was only one response. She lifted Serena off the worktop and encouraged her to wrap her legs around her waist as she kissed her and took them to where she hoped was Serena's bedroom.

Laying Serena down on the bed, she tugs at her own shirt to remove it, not leaving Serena's lips for even a second. She does the same with the brunette's shirt and has to break the kiss only to pull Serena's camisole over her head. Bernie groans at the sight of Serena in her bra and starts to undo her own trousers and pulls everything off until she is in her underwear. "Are you sure?" Bernie looks uncertain of which answer she's waiting for.

Serena adores her all the more for both checking in with her and genuinely seeming unaware of how to proceed. She had spent so much time worrying about what Serena wanted, she had ignored her own feelings all this time. She didn't seem to believe that Serena could really want her. "I've never been more sure of anything, Bernie." Serena reaches up to take off the blonde's bra and sits up so she can caress and kiss Bernie's newly exposed chest. Bernie seems to find whatever she was waiting for then, as she pushes Serena flat to the mattress and slowly starts to strip her of her underwear.

"Serena, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." Bernie takes her time touching and stroking every part of her. She steals Serena's breath when she uses her tongue to circle one incredibly hard nipple before taking it into her mouth.

Serena almost forgets that Jason is there as she cries out into the room. Bernie covers her mouth with one hand as she moves lower with her mouth. Serena kisses Bernie's fingers as she babbles incoherently against her hand.

"Shhh. You have to be quiet or I'll stop." Bernie says only half seriously. She couldn't stop now even if she wanted to. She removes her hand from Serena's mouth to put it to better use.

"Please don't stop, Bernie." Serena begs her.

Bernie fixes her with a look that says that she's not stopping until Serena has been thoroughly seen to, numerous times. She runs her hands the length of Serena's sides. How was it possible for one person to be this perfect? Crashing their mouths together for a long, deep kiss she lets her fingers slide downwards to find Serena wet and ready for her. Slipping effortlessly inside her with two fingers, she devours Serena's moans inside her own mouth. Setting up a deliberately slow and torturous rhythm, she grinds her hips in between Serena's inner thighs, pushing the fingers as deep as she can. She comes out and then plunges three fingers back in, thrusting and twisting and being sure to hit the brunette's sweet spot. Every. Single. Fucking. Time.

Serena feels herself lose control with every thrust and all she hears is the blood rushing in her ears. A white heat blazes behind her eyelids and she's not sure if she's still breathing, alive or dead. But who cares? She stutters out a gasp as Bernie licks and sucks and nips at her breasts as she continues her valiant efforts between her thighs. She was being fucked, of that she could be certain. But it was the most tender, exquisitely intimate and sensual experience she'd known. No one had or would ever make love to her like this. It was heavenly. She felt safe and wild, worshipped if truth be told. She had never felt so good about her own body before, but the look on Bernie's face makes her feel like some sort of perfect goddess. Everyone should have a Bernie Wolfe to look at them like that, to touch them like this. Not this Bernie, though. This one was hers.

"Oh Bernie, I can't...I..." Serena isn't sure what she wants to say.

"It's ok, Serena. I'm here, I'm right here." Bernie strokes the fingers inside of the brunette over a particularly sensitive something or other. Surely Serena should know the name of it, she is a renowned doctor after all...

Oh God yes you are. Right there. "Please just keep doing that. I'm going to cum!" Serena tenses and starts to shake with release. "Fuck, Bernie!" Serena thrust herself onto Bernie's fingers and locks eyes with her until the strength of her orgasm forces her head to fly back and her eyes to close. Then her movements become less and less frantic as she claws her way back to reality. She stills apart from the aftershocks and she's sure she looks a mess but Bernie is still looking at her that same way, as she brushes Serena's hair from the brunette's forehead.

"Are you ok?" Bernie kisses over her face and holds onto her.

"Um...I'm marvellous. Thank you." Serena giggles and buries her face in the crook of Bernie's shoulder.

"Good to know, because I'm not finished with you by a long shot." Bernie looks at her with a wicked glint in her eyes, as she kisses a path down the middle of her body and settles between her legs with a raised eyebrow, before diving right in.


	6. Risotto

Bernie could watch Serena sleep for hours. She adored the way her hair stood on end, all ruffled and messy. Her soft, warm skin faintly lined from the creases in the bedding. The small contented noises of a woman lost in peaceful slumber. She was so perfect. As if she knew she was being watched, she stirred slightly and cuddled herself more tightly into Bernie's side. Her arm pulled Bernie possessively closer and she unconsciously kissed the nearest thing to her lips. A smile tugs at the corners of her mouth.

"Good morning." She slowly opens one eye to look at Bernie.

"Morning." Bernie couldn't keep herself from smiling.

Serena nuzzles into Bernie's neck, softly kissing the area and sending a shiver through the blonde.

"I think we should talk. About last night." Bernie leans her head down to look at the brunette. "It shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry."

Serena freezes in Bernie's arms and her eyes dart all over the blonde's face, a look of confusion and heartbreak settling over her features. She shuffles away from the blonde and off the end of the mattress. "You think this was a mistake? You regret..." Serena can't hold back the tears, shaking her head. She tries to replay everything that happened the night before, searching for something, anything, she might have gotten wrong. Some reason why this was all going so badly now. She came up with nothing. Bernie had never once made it seem that she didn't want her. Serena couldn't understand what had changed.

Then she became achingly aware of the fact that she was standing in her own bedroom, tears streaking her face, totally naked in front of Bernie. The shame and embarrassment of being so disposable to the woman she thought she... "Get out." Serena meets Bernie's eyes with a cold, hard stare before turning on her heel and locking herself in the ensuite. She crumbles to the floor, sobs echoing tauntingly in the small space. Hugging her knees to her chest she cries until her throat aches.

"Serena, please open the door. That didn't come out right. Just let me explain." Bernie thumps her forehead against the door in frustration at her own inarticulacies. "Please." Bernie feels her own tears start to fall. She couldn't mess this up, she couldn't lose Serena. She just couldn't.

Serena wants to open the door, she wants to hear Bernie out. She spreads her hand flat on the door, as though she's trying to reach out to Bernie and turns her cheek to rest on the wooden panel. "Go. Just go, Bernie." Her voice doesn't sound like her own but she knows she's said it.

Bernie slumps against the locked door, defeated. She dressed quickly and quietly, before one final glance at the ensuite door and then leaves.

Bernie texts Serena, she phones her, she tries incessantly to get her alone at work. Anything just to get Serena to hear her out. She didn't think it was a mistake, what had happened between them, it was all she'd wanted practically since she laid eyes on the brunette. She would never regret it, just her own stupid mouth for running away with her afterwards. Serena was having none of it.

"Ok everyone. Chicken and mushroom risotto." Dana breaks Bernie out of her misery to start explaining tonight's dish. Except Serena wasn't there yet, Bernie had hoped she would still come to class.

Serena appears in the doorway then mumbling her apologies for being late. Bernie smiles when she sees her, until she remembers that they're not even friends now.

"Hi Serena. It's no problem. Why don't you get washed up, grab your apron? We'll wait for you." Dana smiles and lets Serena get settled. She frowns in confusion when she sees Serena drag her stool as far away from Bernie as she can. Those two were usually inseparable.

"Serena, please just let me explain." Bernie whispers into the gulf between them.

"Nothing to explain. People have one night stands all the time, Bernie. Besides, this is hardly the time or the place." Serena snaps.

Bernie's heart crumbles in her chest. Serena thought she was a one night stand. Some meaningless fling. Nothing could be further from the truth.

"Right. First things first. Let's chop up our mushrooms and onions etc. Then we can make up the stock and measure out our rice. Once we've done that, we can cook our chicken. If you cube it up and then fry it off for about 10 minutes on a medium heat in your pan." Dana worked as she explained.

"Once your chicken is ready, leave it on a plate to one side. Put some more butter in the larger pan we're going to make the risotto in and once it's warm add your bacon pieces and brown for about 5 minutes. Stir in your onions after that and leave on a low to medium heat for 10 more minutes. Then you can add your mushrooms. Keep stirring as often as you can, nothing worse than burnt risotto and having to scrape it off the pan later." Dana cast an eye around everyone's progress and noted a little sadly that Serena and Bernie had barely spoken since the start. She hoped nothing was wrong, she was secretly rooted for them to get it together.

"Now, add in your rice and stir for a couple of minutes. When your rice looks like this..." She gathered everyone in to show them "...add the wine and let everything bubble in the heat. Once the wine has bubbled away you should pour in about one quarter of your stock and cook for about 20 minutes. This is where we take the stirring up a notch, keep stirring it all the time. After your 20 minutes, the rice absorbs the stock and you can keep adding more in until your rice is cooked. You might not need all of the stock. You will know your rice is ready when it takes on the texture of rice pudding." Dana takes one that she'd started before class to show them what to look for.

Dana weaves in and out of the students, checking everything and helping where needed. "Ok ladies, these look good. You make a great team, as always." Dana places a friendly hand one each on Bernie and Serena's shoulder. Bernie thinks she sees a meddlesome shine in their tutor's eye.

"Right, once your rice is ready, stir through your chicken and then turn the heat off. Add some grated parmesan and your chopped parsley. Put your lid on the pan and leave everything for 5 minute. Then we can plate up with some salt and pepper to season and some more parmesan if you want." Dana smiled and waited for everyone's dish to be plated before they headed to the dining room to taste their risotto.

Everyone else has gone home and Serena and Bernie are helping Dana clear up, as had become customary. Their tutor had a little trick up her sleeve to knock their silly heads together.

"So Bernie, my wife has this crazy idea to have me set you up with one of our friends, Ana." Dana starts to scribble what seems to be a phone number on a scrap of paper.

"No thank you." Bernie flushes and tries to avoid looking at Serena.

"Oh but you'd really like her apparently. Unless you're seeing someone?" Dana revs it up a gear.

"No thank you." Bernie repeats.

"My wife will divorce me if you don't at least take the number. She's meeting us for drinks next week." Dana scribbles the time and place on the back. "Why don't you join us?" She refuses to back down until Bernie takes the paper.

"I'd best be off." Bernie scurries out of the room, dropping the paper in the recycling bin on the way past.

"Did something happened with you two?" Dana turns her attention back to the brunette, who had watched Bernie throughout.

"Take such an interest in the love life of all your students?" Serena bites back.

"Only the ones that are too blind to see what's right in front of them." Dana retorts. She picks the paper up off the pile in the bin. "Ana doesn't exist, Serena." She shows what she wrote to the brunette. The phone number has too few digits and the address is for the college.

"I don't understand." Serena turns the page over and over in her hand.

"She didn't even look at it before she tossed it or she would have noticed that, don't you think?" Dana squeezes Serena's hand.

"We slept together but now she thinks it was a mistake." Serena breaks in front of this total stranger. "I don't know what happened. She doesn't want me."

"That's not what I see. Bernie didn't want me to tell you this, but I thought you were already a couple. When I asked her about it, she said that she'd been in love with you since you met. Begged me not to tell you, said that you didn't feel the same, that you'd never forgive her if you found out." Dana lays it all out on the table.

"Why are you telling me now?" Serena looks puzzled.

"She's been holding a candle for you for weeks, Serena and said nothing because she thought it was what you wanted. This Ana wasn't real, but eventually she might be." Dana lets her words sink in.

Serena runs out of the room. She needed to catch up to Bernie.


	7. La perfezione

"Hello Dr Bernie." Jason corners her in the foyer as she rushes out of the college to her car, away from the awkwardness of Dana trying to foist some friend on her, when all she wants is Serena.

"Jason, hi. I can't stop, I really need to get home." Bernie frowns at the own bad manners. "Sorry Jason. How was your class?" She smiles at the young man.

"Very good. We're working with spreadsheets at the moment. I like spreadsheets. Do you like spreadsheets Dr Bernie?" Jason observes her inquisitively.

"I've never really thought about it, I guess I'd say I like them well enough." Bernie smiles kindly, she was very fond of Jason.

"Do you think Auntie Serena still seems sad, I think she is? Is there anything we could do to make her feel better?" Jason furrows his brow, turning more serious.

"We?" Bernie thinks she might have misheard.

"Yes. I love her and you love her so it makes sense that we would want her to be happy." It seems perfectly simple to him. "Auntie Serena! How was your class? I was just chatting to Dr Bernie." The young man smiles broadly and waves excitedly as his Aunt comes hurtling towards them.

"I should be going." Bernie turns to make her exit.

"Bernie! Bernie wait! Please wait." Serena has to speed up if she wants to catch the blonde.

Bernie spins towards the sound of Serena calling her name. She is totally unprepared for Serena launching herself at Bernie's body, arms wrapping tightly around her neck as she crashes their mouths together.

Bernie is stunned and knocked off balance slightly, but not for long before her own mouth responds eagerly, arms grabbing Serena around the waist and holding her in place. "Hmmm, Serena. I want to explain, what I said this morning."

"I don't care." Serena pulls Bernie back in for another deep kiss. "I don't care, I know you didn't mean what I thought. Nothing else matters." Serena kisses her between words.

"Auntie Serena?" Jason bursts the bubble. "We need to go home, Countdown starts in 15 minutes." Jason taps his watch agitatedly. "Are you coming with us Dr Bernie?"

"Well, I would like that very much. If it's ok with your Aunt." Bernie and Serena never take their eyes off each other and are still wrapped in each other's arms. Bernie asks the question with a head tilt and Serena nods wordlessly.

"She seems much happier now, doesn't she?" Jason directs this at Bernie with a bright smile.

"She's not the only one." Bernie links fingers with the brunette as they all stroll out to the car park and smiles as she bends slightly to kiss Serena's forehead. "I'll see you there in a sec." Bernie kisses her again before heading for her own car.

Serena manages to field most of Jason's questions on the way back home and they open the door to turn on some lights and set the heating.

"Would you like me to make us all some tea to have with Countdown, Auntie Serena?" Jason asks sweetly.

"Yes please, Jason." Serena smiles at his thoughtfulness, as she watches him head into the kitchen and fill the kettle, before flicking it on to boil.

Serena all but paces the hallway waiting for Bernie's car to come into the driveway. When she hears it pull up, she flings the door open and drags the other woman inside and kisses her soundly again.

"I'd say someone's pleased to see me." Bernie smiles into another kiss.

The sound of Jason clearing his throat breaks them apart. "Countdown is starting and I don't know how Dr Bernie takes her tea."

"That's ok Jason, Bernie and I will make her tea, you just go ahead and start watching. We'll be with you in a jiffy." Serena leads Bernie by the hand into the kitchen to make the bloody tea. "He'll watch this and then head to bed at 10pm." Serena finishes making Bernie's tea and hands her the cup, before lifting her own and gesturing for them to sit in the lounge with Jason to watch his show with him.

They curl up on the large sofa together, Jason is in his usual armchair beside them, shouting answers at the TV. Bernie has never felt more at home as she pulls Serena impossibly closer and loses herself in the warmth of Serena's body pressed against hers. She decides then that she will try her best to explain herself to the brunette once Jason has gone up.

Just as Serena said, Jason bids them both goodnight and goes to bed by 10pm. Serena clears and washes out their cups before coming back through to smile at Bernie waiting for her on the sofa.

The blonde stands to come over to Serena and grabs one of her hands in both of Bernie's. "Serena, I -"

The rest of her sentence is lost inside Serena's mouth as she kisses Bernie senseless. Before she can undo the buttons of the blonde's shirt, Bernie breaks them apart. Serena's face falls as she thinks that Bernie is turning her down.

"Serena, I just want to explain. About last night and what I said this morning." Bernie takes Serena by the hand and leads them up to the bedroom. Once they are comfy Bernie starts her explanation. "The number for that friend of Dana's. I threw it away." She laces her fingers with Serena's.

"I know. I saw you." Serena squeezes her hand gently. "There is no friend though."

When Bernie looks confused, Serena tells her what Dana did.

"She's good." Bernie sounded impressed. "She shouldn't have told you what I said, I asked her not to." Bernie blushes.

"I'm glad she did. Why would you keep this from me, all this time?" Serena is hurt to think that Bernie felt she needed to hide it.

"You were with Robbie, you're straight. I couldn't force my unwanted feelings on you." Bernie turns away.

Serena brings her face back round to lock eyes with the blonde. "Not unwanted. I guess I was surprised by it, but I have feelings for you too." Serena kisses her passionately. "I love you, Bernie."

"Oh God, Serena. I can't tell you how much I've wanted to hear you say those words. To tell you how much I love you too." Bernie cups Serena's beautiful face with both hands and brushes her lips against the brunette's.

"So...this morning?" Serena gently urges Bernie to continue.

"I didn't mean it the way it sounded. I just had planned to do this right, when I knew that you were thinking of me. Like I was thinking of you. I wanted to take you on dates. Hearts and flowers and romance. I didn't want to rush you into, you know? Sex. I wouldn't want you to feel pressured. That I was only interested in that." Bernie holds Serena's gaze throughout to convey her sincerity.

"What we did together last night, the way you made me feel. The way your touch made me feel was incredible, the way you looked at me. Waking up next to you was so romantic and I loved every minute of all of it." Serena leans in to capture Bernie's lips with her own.

Serena kisses Bernie's neck and starts to unbutton the blonde's shirt, leaving hot, open mouthed kisses down the skin of Bernie's torso until she pulls the open edges further apart and slides it from the blonde's toned frame. She kissed Bernie's bare shoulders as she reaches for the clasp of her bra. "Is this ok?" Serena looks up at Bernie unsurely.

Bernie only nods because she cannot make any words come out. Serena's mouth on her body, her fingers tickling over her skin renders her speechless. Her breathing is shallow and harsh, her heart feels like it could leave her chest at any moment.

Serena kneels beside her and begins to take off her own top and bra. She brings one of Bernie's hands up to her lips, kissing the fingertips tenderly before placing it on her newly bare chest. "I want to feel your hands on me. No one has ever touched me the way you do, Bernie." Serena encourages the blonde to use her other hand to undo the brunette's trousers as she moves to lie against Bernie's front. She gasps suddenly when she feels their breasts touch and can't resist kissing her.

Bernie opens the waist of Serena's trousers and slides her hands inside the back to take hold of Serena's ass cheeks through her underwear. Squeezing them and pulling Serena's hips down to her own, she deepens the kiss.

Serena moans into Bernie's mouth at the pressure and then she shuffles down to kiss Bernie's chest. She brushes the tips of her fingers over Bernie's nipples, smiling at how quickly them become firm under her touch. Bernie groans as she watches Serena take one into her mouth. She had never felt anything like it. "Oh Serena, I love you. Don't stop." Bernie was in heaven.

Serena looks up at Bernie with a wicked shine in those deep brown eyes and a quick quirk of an eyebrow. She tugs on the nipple with her teeth before sucking on it hard. She releases it with a satisfying popping sound and decides to refocus her attention further south. Kneeling up again, she shrugs out of her trousers and underwear, before helping Bernie out of hers.

Bernie stares at the naked form of the woman she loves and knows she has never seen anything more beautiful. Her eyes commit every part of the brunette to memory. She jolts as Serena's hand snakes a path down to her waiting wetness. "Oh God." Bernie reels at how amazing Serena's touch is.

"Would you like me to kiss you?" Serena asks mischievously.

Bernie leans up to try to reach for Serena's mouth and kiss her in response to the question.

"Not so fast. That's not what I meant." Serena presses her back into the bedding and makes her way down to between Bernie's thighs.

Bernie cries out as she realises what Serena has intended for her.

"Now, Ms Wolfe. Please try to keep the noise down." Serena giggles as her best fake stern look fails miserably.

Bernie has never loved her more, with such a free, happy and unguarded look on her gorgeous face, lit up by glee and the room filled with her laughter. "I am so in love with you." Bernie blushes at her own honesty.

Serena's heart swells fit to bursting and she crawls back up Bernie's body to kiss her. "I love you more than I have ever loved anyone." Serena's warm breath against Bernie's mouth makes the blonde shiver. A broad smile at the brunette's words lights up Bernie's gorgeous face. Serena's breath hitches at how beautiful her Bernie is. "Now, where was I?" Serena taps her mouth with one finger as if trying to remember.

Bernie groans in aroused impatience and looks at Serena with a pout. Serena gives her another quick peck before kissing her way slowly back down. "Serena, please."

"Hush, love. I'm going to make you feel so good. I promise." Serena swipes at Bernie with her tongue before Bernie even has a chance to register what is happening.

This was a new taste for the brunette, but not unwelcome as she licks and sucks at Bernie's core. All the blonde can do is moan in pleasure at how incredible Serena's mouth and tongue feel against her. She can already feel an intense orgasm building inside herself. "Oh, Serena!" Bernie fists Serena's hair as she holds her to her as she cums. Hard.

Serena smiles against Bernie's core as she kisses her softly once she feels her still. "Bernie, I love you. I love you so much." She kisses back up to Bernie's mouth and kisses her again. "I love you."

Bernie smiles into the kiss as Serena's words make her feel liking flying. "Serena, I love you too. When I'm with you I feel whole." Bernie flips them over to turn her attention to making Serena feel incredible. She brings the brunette's legs up either side of her to rest around her waist. She kisses all over Serena's face and throat and down to her chest.

As Bernie lavishes Serena's breast with kisses and licks, sucking one nipple into her mouth as her hand slips between them and thrusts into the brunette. Bernie couldn't deny that this was now her favourite place in the world. She had never enjoyed pleasuring someone else this much before. But getting to tease Serena's skin with her fingertips and kiss her body was a privilege. To watch the ecstasy cloud Serena's eyes and to see her body respond to what Bernie was doing to her was truly mesmerising. This woman was breath-taking, a gift sent straight from the heavens and known only to Bernie. Pumping in and out of her, Bernie yearned to see her fall apart in her arms.

Serena had never made love like this, had never been touched by anyone like this. She is in some special sex haven being worshipped by a goddess. "Oh God, Bernie. More please, more!" She scratches her nails down the blonde's back to grab roughly at her perky ass and push her deeper inside her. "Yes! That's it! Don't stop!" Serena cums with a rush on Bernie's hand as they grind hard against each other until Serena can't take anymore.

Breathing harshly and exquisitely exhausted, Serena lies elated and spent clutching Bernie to her. "That was..." She looks into Bernie's eyes hoping her eyes can convey what cannot be said in words.

Bernie kisses her and cuddles in closer. "It was." She had never been so happy. Couldn't believe her luck, truth be told. "Serena?"

"Yeah?" Serena looks at her through eyes heavy with post coital sleepiness.

"Does this mean we're together now?" Bernie tries to keep the nerves from her voice.

"I'd say so, wouldn't you?" Serena tickles her fingers over Bernie's bare arm, eyes flicking up to meet Bernie's, suddenly wide and serious.

"Most definitely." Bernie's smile could replace the Sun.

They fall asleep tangled together and happier than either had been in some time.


End file.
